The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-13

fore her eyes. Win she ''steep her soul in per-
juryY7 She looks down at her boots. We have
all our keenlv vulnerable point for misfortune
to strike at; Kiz's is her boots If her boots,
instead of being shabby, had been new and we'll
fitting, who tell how firm ''no" might have
issued from her lips, how different her life
might have been.
'.You catch my idea?' says the little old lady.
and You think you can do justice to itF
The postman comes just then, and hands me
the landlords expected notice-as If the boots
were not enough! KiZ recognizes the writing,
she casts a despairing glance at it and then at
me. try to look persuasive. L think Alz 10
prescriptions.
But she draws herself up to her full height.
and looks proud and determined. Kiz's lofty
virtue is not going to quail before the shabby
boots or the landlords bill!
II am afraid / cannot do it," she says. II
have never painted IA character portrait
give utterance to a little despairing cough. that
ends with a sigh. But perhaps you would not
expect it to be, strictly speaking, portraitP
Kiz gets the words out with difficulty. The
old lady looks at her steadily. with a pair OF
keen, little, black eyes.
II don't want my wrinkles accentuated, if
that's what you meant she says Il don't want
to look like the goddess Pomona at seventy-fve!
Goddesses don't grow old, as perhaps you
know, and that's why l choose to be
accentuate my youthful characteristics
as try to do by means of dress, however per-
sons without artistic senSe-by which l mean
fools-may sheer. Common sense is very we'll.
but without artistic sense one is still a fool
wish it to be portrait in artistic sense. l
see by your questions that you catch my idea"
Kizs scruples vanish. If it is an understood
thing that the picture is not TO be likeness she
can conscentiously dispense with Fidelity to
nature" l know that she must have lively
apprehensions that the goddess Pomona will
look like a bedlamite, but she consents.
The terms are settled. Kiz is not business
.cho mil he. Init o1H 1oSu &c H.
eral, and the hours for sittings arranged, and
the old lady trips Off
As msfortunes never come snglv, neither do
their opposites, or SO Kiz and think on this
of schoo-boy who is a budding Apollo. and
sell some impossible nasturtiums at good price,
to admirer of originality.
"She is my fairy grandmother" cries KiZ,
who is now gay as if there were no such evils
extant as shabby boots or impatient landlords.
Il felt presentment of it the moment saw
her. Didn't she look like it9 If we had gone to
the door am sure we should have seen her hop
into pumpkin-shell chariot"
"a fairy godmother she might be-" say,
but O ye gods! how can you make Pomona of
herr"
But Kiz is not to be daunted
Il shall idealize her, wind gauze around her,
gaze at her through atmosphere OF couleur
de rose-n short, regard her artistically as she
suggested Who knows but / may develop
new talent! / may discover that can paint
ideal heads! 1 tell you know she brought good
luck when she camel"
do not wish to discourage Kiz, but it seems
to me that she has no realizing sense of the ap
pallng difficulties of her undertaking.
The sittings have begun; they are progressing,
how favorably do not know, for Kiz will allow
no one to glance at her canvas, but certainly
cheerfully. The artist and her subject-who,
we have been told, is Miss Claussa McGlenen,
with an aggressive accent on the Miss-are be-
coming excellent friends. The old lady invites
Lr,o% ~. Aou hakn al h4,% lr.vv
| and makes as much of pet of her as Kz will
allow Kiz processes herself delighted with her
work. She has never done anything which she
enjoyed so much. / am utterly at loss to ac
count for this, until, one day, she confides to
me that Miss McGlenens nose is just like
Perry's"
I cherished painful doubts concerning Pomo-
mas beauty before; they increased fold
now. If Kiz means to bestow upon the goddess
Miss McGlenens unabbreviated nose blinded to
its disadvantages-to use a mild term-by a real
or fancied resemblance to Perry's nose, then
farewell to ali hope of artistic for her.
She will be laughing stock.
= long to suggest that it would not be a bad
idea to curtai it of its fair proportions for the
goddess use. but Kiz although she is parted
from him forever" according to her own decla-
ration, is morbidly sensitive on the subject of
Perrys looks. Disparagement Of large noses is
what she cannot endure. Moreover, this is the
first time she has mentioned Perry's name for
| months, and l am anxious not to discourage her
doing so. having vague idea, born of an utter
lack OF experience OF the emotions she is cherish
ing, that it is good for her" to talk about him.
Her hair. too, is like Perry's." K:zs voice is
timid and subdued and shows a yearning for
sympathy.
To what a pass does love bring frail humani-
| ty! The floating ringlets with which the hair
| dresser's art has adorned Miss McGlenen, in the
| place of those Of which envious time has robbed
| her, are of loveliest pale auburn. Perrys hair
| is carroty.
! .'Of course shall have to snip the nose off a
little here and there" Kiz goes in matter
of-fact tone. She is not, then, reduced to hope
less imbecility "a nose that is fine, and strong.
| and intellectual on a man might not be exactly
becoming to goddess" she admits with an air
| of great candor. But the hair / am making
| more like the hue that Titan loved to paint
than Miss McGlenen's-I am making it like
| Perry'sw
fairly gasp for breath. / choke down the
| wild curiosity that impels to inquire how
| Pomona looks far. A vision Of Miss Nc
| Glenen, bedecked with vine-leaves and looking
recklessly bacchanalian, with her nose irregular
| IL shipped. and her curs carroty fit before my
eyes! Far better would it have been. think.
| for Kz to have painted a glorifed Settletop baby
than so degraded goddess! But she will have
none of my rebuke. and at the first signs of it
clothes herself with defiant reserve and talks
no more either of Pomona or of Perry.
If Kizs fairy god-mother Is mad. we at first
thought she must be, there is certainly method
| in her madness She is shrewd little person.
| IN spite OF Her eXtTaoTuluary AueaS on some
points. and she knows her world thoroughly
She is full of sage maxims for getting on in the
world, and Kiz listens to them as sweetly and
attentively as if she meant to profit by them
which know she doesn't. The fairy godmothel
also draws US out. We find ourselves telling
her all our hopes and fears. our aspirations ard
disappointmenrs. without the least intending it
About everything but Perry Kiz talks to her
even in her fullest condolences l know she never
mentions his name. One reason for this may bs
| that the QOdmOther regards love affairs will
sternest disapproval, rs hindrances in the way o.
an artistic career the hand maidens of ar
should scorn such imbecities.. She would new
: | er take her Cinderella to meet the prince bu
she does what to my mind. is much better; sh
sends pupils and purchasers to US both. Al